Du Bois Center denies 50-year lease agreement with govt

The Executive Director of the W.E.B. Du Bois Museum Foundation, Japhet Aryiku has responded to recent reports that the Ghanaian government has leased the W.E.B. Du Bois Center to the foundation for 50 years.

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Member of Parliament for North Tongu, accused the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration of reportedly transferring ownership of the Centre to a newly founded private foundation with no prior expertise, as part of a long-term deal.

Mr Aryiku responded to the charges on the Citi Breakfast Show on Friday, August 23, 2024, saying;

"There have been allegations that the government has sold the place to us, the Du-Bois Foundation, but that is not true. There are also allegations that the place has been leased to the Bu-Bois Foundation, but that is also not true.” "

Mr. Aryiku noted that the agreement in question is a collaborative effort between the Du Bois Museum Foundation and the Ministry of Tourism.

This partnership's major goal is to raise funds, create, run, and manage the Du Bois Centre.

"The agreement that we signed with the Ghana government is that the Du Bois Museum Foundation in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism will raise the money, develop place, operate and manage the place for a period of 50 years. That 50 years is broken up into thirty and twenty.

“That is, we will be there for the first thirty years under the agreement. At the end of the thirty years…we will meet with the then minister, whoever is in charge and assess our relationship. If we are happy with each other, if the Du Bois Foundation feels that the government of Ghana has treated us well and if the government of Ghana feels that we have managed the place well, then we continue with the next twenty years."

“Now to this very important clause in the agreement. If we are not happy and cannot continue with the relationship, the Bu-Bios Foundation will walk away from the $50-80 million that we would have spent at the centre. There is no provision that states that the government has to pay back anything, we will walk away and leave the management, and the operation back to the Ghana government,” he stated.

Source:Lead News Online